Originally founded in 1807 by Jean Boingneres it has for six generations steadfastly maintained the often difficult path of never producing anything but the best armagnacs.

However, it was not until 1953 that the style of armagnacs began to change forever as Leon Lafitte took over the estate when his father-in-law died. He first expanded the vineyard area and second sold bottle stock directly to all the famous restaurants in France, where Boingneres reputation soon became second to none.

He later replanted the vineyards with his favourite grape varieties, principally folle blanche with some ugni blanc and colombard, for which he coined the phrase “Cepages Nobles”. He then built a new press house and ageing cellar and in 1975 a new still was purpose built by Ster to give the greatest extraction of flavour from the wines.

Today Martine Laffite carries on the Boingneres tradition of excellence. The Boingneres armagnacs are distilled to 52% (allowing the maximum of congeners to pass over into the spirit) and then aged in a very specific manner. Half of the new spirit is put into new charred casks of local oak — up to 15 casks per year — and aged for two years, before it is transferred to older wood. The other half goes into two year- old barrels where it remains until required for blending and bottling. No blending of vintages is done after the sixth year and the seperate varieties are carefully watched until Martine Laffite decides which proportion to blend together, or if the spirits should remain separate.

The Laffite family considers armagnac the noblest of products, a masterpiece. Perfection is the family’s everyday quest and this starts with the inimitable terroir of the domaine. The estate is situated in the commune of Le Freche, where the soil, a narrow strip of land only 25km by 8km, is dotted with springs and sheltered by the landes Forest. This small piece of the Bas Armagnac has soil of particular lightness, a siliceous clay mixed with sand and iron elements where only the finest brandies are produced.

OUR SELECTION

 Armagnac Ugni Blanc 1976

                       

 Armagnac Cepages Nobles 1985

Armagnac Folle Blanche 1984

Armagnac Domaine Boingneres

HELP IN TASTING AN UNREDUCED ARMAGNAC

One can be taken aback by the strength and intensity of an unreduced Armagnac, particulary when relatively young (less than 15 years old) unless it is tasted in a specific way.

In order to appreciate its fullness and finesse, I recommend that after pouring a small quantity into a suitable glass , you wait a few minutes, aerating the liquid in the glass, then you should nose it gently to take in  the complexity of its bouquet.

Then moisten your tongue with a few drops and “chew” on them with your mouth closed so as to line the tastebuds before you swallow.

Armagnac will give as much pleasure to the nose as to the palate. It should be nosed proportionately much more than drunk and the final pleasure is always to smell the empty glass, so so satisfactory.

This is how you will get to know a Bas-Armagnac: its cleanness, its finesse, its many flavours (prune, violet and quince among others). Its lenth on the palate, its elegance, in short its class and breeding. 

HAPPY  BOINGNERES  ARMAGNAC  DAYS

GRAHAM  D

(continuation from blog  “ Food and Wine pairing”  dated 17th  June  2009)

INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

FOOD BEING FEATURED:—–MEDIUM STYLE CURRIES, including  CHICKEN, LAMB, PRAWN and VEGETABLE.  ( Thai or Chinese curries with similar ingredients would also be a good alternative )

CHALLENGES:—–We all know that matching wines with Asian cooking can be a difficult challenge and matching wines with curries even more difficult. With mild and fragrant curries like Korma, Biryani or Kashmiri dishes and curries with fruit like pineapple or mango, these can be a little easier to match than with hot curries like Madras and Vindaloo or astringent sauces made from tamarind or too strong in fenugreek and ginger.

RECOMMENDATIONS:—–wines with strong and distinct flavours or wines with fruity acidity will provide the best matches for the above mentioned dishes. A good tip to help you enjoy wine during an asian meal, is to take a sip of water to refresh the palate each time before you take a sip of wine.

Red wines from the Loire made from the Cabernet Franc grape such as Saumur-Champigny have the ideal fruit and acidity balance for mild curries. With this combination you will enjoy both the meal and the wine.

A white wine renoun for matching Asian cooking is the wine named after its grape variety Gewurztraminer. Gewurztraminer’s from the New World such as Segu from Chile have a little more acidity and body over the Alsace versions of this grape and can even put up a good with some of the hotter curries.

Other white wines to be considered are those produced in the Languedoc region of France. Wines like a well chilled Picpoul de Pinet  are perfectly happy with spicy dishes, again it’s the fruit and high acidity that comes through and softens the impact of curries and strongly flavoured dishes.

MAIN DIRECTORY:—–click on The Marriage of Food and Wine to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and desserts. Also Great Friends-Cheese and Wine for cheese and wine pairing.

NEXT ARTICLE:—–Pork dishes, including roast pork, grilled pork chops,  suckling pig, pork fillet and medallions of pork.
 

HAPPY  MEDIUM CURRY  AND WINE PAIRING DAYS

Graham D